


Stranger Things Have Happened Here [DISCONTINUED UNTIL THE DEVS APOLOGIZE]

by WoolyViola



Series: The Court’s Tales [1]
Category: The Arcana (Visual Novel)
Genre: Angst, Angst and Romance, Angst with a Happy Ending, Author writes like she’s a standup comedian, Background Relationships, Canon Compliant, Cute, Domestic, Domestic Fluff, Emotional Hurt, F/F, F/M, Family, Fluff, Fluff and Angst, Friendship, Gen, General Dumbassery, Happy Ending, Humor, Hurt, Hurt/Comfort, Implied Sexual Content, LGBT, LGBTQ, LGBTQ Character, M/M, Magic, Major Original Character(s), Marriage, Multi, Other, Post-Canon, Pregnancy, Romance, Slow Burn, Things would go better if these idiots could communicate like Normal People, Too many goddamn chapters, Violence, and i do mean really long, everyone needs a therapist and nobody has one, implied nsfw, like half a century, no update schedule, please follow my tumblr for a comprehensive guide, post-route, really really long timeline, so many original characters, squueze.tumblr.com, the author is projecting, yes i know its misspelled
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-07-04
Updated: 2020-09-30
Packaged: 2021-03-04 20:21:35
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,494
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/25062268
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/WoolyViola/pseuds/WoolyViola
Summary: In which the author finally writes the fanfic that's been rattling around in her head for over a year.Story heavily features many original characters.There's a fifty-year timeline. I'm sorry. My Tumblr is squueze.tumblr.com if you'd like a better list of characters.
Relationships: Apprentice/Julian Devorak, Asra/Muriel (The Arcana), Julian Devorak/Original Female Character(s), Lucio (The Arcana)/Original Female Character(s), Portia Devorak/Nadia, Valerius (The Arcana)/Original Male Character(s)
Series: The Court’s Tales [1]
Series URL: https://archiveofourown.org/series/1815160
Comments: 2
Kudos: 7





	1. I Do. (Hopefully)

Twenty-seven year old Elara Givalde sits hunched over behind the counter of her shop, counting how much sage she has left in stock. 

“Only three bundles left,” she says out loud, to nobody in particular, “I’ll have to restock.” She’s barely finished the sentence when the door swings open with a rather startling bang. It’s Julian, signalling he’s done for the day. Elara pops up from behind the counter, startling Julian and almost making him drop the loaf of bread that he’s carrying. He sets it down on the counter with a heavy sigh, and places his hand over his heart.

“Good grief El, you scared the life out of me!” he says, although his face splits into a grin as he says it. Elara grins too, before grabbing the list of things to restock and shrugging a coat on. 

“I’ve gotta go pick some stuff up from the forest and some things from the market. You want to come? She says, and Julian shakes his head. 

“Not really. I’ve just bought a loaf of Selasi’s pumpkin bread, and it’s calling my name.” He grins, and Elara rolls her eyes and disappears out the door. Julian takes a deep breath, still smiling, and unwraps the loaf from its paper. Before he can take a chunk off with his fork, Portia bursts through the door, with Nadia and Asra close behind. 

“Ilya!” Portia says, breathless, “Malak told Faust that we needed to come here as quickly as we could, is everything okay?” Malak, sitting on Portia’s shoulder, looks  _ very _ smug. Julian opens his mouth, closes it again, and sets his fork down, leaning against the counter and massaging the sides of his head.

“I didn’t even tell him to!” He says, gesturing wildly, before sinking his head into his hands. Portia makes a move to comfort him, but he puts his hands down back on the counter and gives a small laugh.

“Don’t worry. It’s nothing sad. I do have… news, though.”

Portia’s eyebrows look a bit like they want to fly off of her forehead, and behind her, Nadia has gained an expression somewhere between confusion and anxiety.

“You aren’t going to break up with Elara, are you? You had better not. I swear if you’re-”

“Pasha, I’m not dumping my girlfriend. I’m proposing to her.”

Portia’s eyebrows somehow manage to climb higher on her forehead, and she claps her hands and squeals. 

“Oooohhh! My big brother’s no longer afraid of commitment! I’m so proud of you, Ilya!”

Julian flushes with embarrassment.

“The problem is… I’m not sure  _ how  _ to propose. You know how my track record of romance is, Pasha! If I propose I’m just going to chuck the ring at her and run!” He pushes himself off the counter, walking over to his coat and rifling through the pockets. “I should’ve known Malak would’ve heard. I was rambling to myself about how I was gonna propose… Ah! Here it is!” He whirls around on his heels, nearly falling over in the process. He holds out the ring - it’s simple; a thin gold band with a square opal set in the center. The three others crowd around to see the ring in his hand, and Portia picks it up and makes a noise akin to a bird.

“Quaestor, it’s beautiful! Where’d you find it?” says Nadia, leaning over Portia’s shoulder and inspecting the ring for herself. Julian smiles and takes it back from Portia, slipping it back into the pocket of his jacket.

“It was our mother’s. She gave it to me before the ship went under, and I keep it in my coat at all times. She told me that I should take it and propose to the person I fell in love with. And, well…” Portia squeals with excitement and throws her arms around him, nearly knocking him off balance.

“Yes! Oh, Ilya this is so exciting, I can barely wait! Of course we’ll help,” she says, and, behind her, Asra and Nadia nod as well. The small group quickly begins planning, and it’s Portia’s idea that everyone agrees is the best. A scavenger hunt leading Elara through the important locations in their relationship, starting and ending at the shop. They eventually wrap up the planning session and Asra, Portia, and Nadia head home. Two hours later, Elara returns from the shop, swinging the door open so strongly it bounces open and hits the coat rack next to it.

“I have returned from my adventure. I missed you terribly, my love!” She says, plopping a basket of herbs on the counter and grinning at Julian. 

“I eagerly awaited your arrival- and also I saved you a piece of pumpkin bread.”

Elara snorts and takes the pumpkin bread from him. 

“Thank you. What’d you do while I was gone?”

“Uh… Not much, to be honest. Played with the dog, sorted some papers; you know, the usual.” Julian says, flushing a little.

“Well, I hope you had a good time. Wanna help me sort herbs?” Elara replies, picking through her basket and dropping things on the counter.

“Not one bit. I have to go next door to the clinic and pick up some stuff on one of my regulars. He’s coming in for a checkup tomorrow and I’ve put off organizing his file. I’ll be right back.”

He ducks out of the door and comes back a few minutes later with a pile of folders just as Elara drops the last few herbs into the boxes behind the counter.

“All done! I’m gonna go cook dinner. Have fun sorting!” She says, climbing the stairs to the loft. Forty minutes later, she ducks her head into Julian’s office.

“Dinner’s ready!”

“Oh good! I just got done,” he says, ducking under the arch and following her into the kitchen. “What’re we having?”

“Uh… well, I forgot to buy the stuff for what I actually wanted to make, so we’re having white bean and chicken soup again. It was easy, we already had the ingredients for it, and I suffer from a terrible case of lazy.”

Behind her, Julian snorts.

“Hey, that way we can finish off the chicken,” he says, sitting down. She kisses his cheek and brings out both bowls.

“Ah, you complete me.”

They eat in silence for a bit, both of them taking their time with their food. It’s a few minutes before either of them says anything. Elara’s the one who speaks first, holding up a letter.

“Volta sent a postcard today! Apparently she’s on her honeymoon,” she says, handing the card to Julian.

“Volta got married?”

“Mmhmm. She met him and his daughter at the masquerade. He’s a diplomat from… somewhere. Not actually sure where.”

“Interesting. I’m glad she’s happy, at any rate. I always felt like she’d been dealt a shitty hand, you know?”

“Yeah!” Elara sets her spoon down on the table. “She was always so nice, but the universe wasn’t nice back. It’s not fair.”

“She did let thousands of people starve to feed herself.”

“It wasn’t her fault that she couldn’t stay full! All I’m saying is, she never set out to cause harm, it just kinda… happened.”

“You weren’t there. Not during the worst of it. But I do see what you mean - the constant starvation wasn’t her fault. On a related note, are you done with your soup? I’ll do dishes tonight.”

He peers into Elara’s bowl and, seeing that it’s empty, takes it from her. As he washes the dishes, Elara grabs a blank sheet and pins it to her easel, popping open a can of watercolors and beginning to paint. Five hours later, just as she finishes painting and begins getting dressed for bed, Julian pops back out of his office to get another cup of coffee.

“Uh, Ilya? Honey? It’s midnight. You have no possible reason to need more coffee.”

He turns to her, empty mug in hand, and shakes his head.

“There was a sheet that didn’t line up with the rest and now I have to cross reference it so that it’ll be accurate, and-“

Elara cuts him off by taking the mug from him.

“No. I don’t care if it’s wrong, you can take care of it in the morning. Right now, it is twelve o’ clock at night and we should both be in bed!” He starts to protest, but she cuts him off again. “I’m not going to listen to an argument. Get changed and take your medicine, and then come to bed.” She gives him a swift kiss on the cheek and hands him a pair of pants, before going to bed herself.

—————

By the time Elara awakes the next morning, Julian has already gone to the clinic. She gets dressed for the day, mentally listing her tasks in her head as she does. Open the shop, tend the shop, close the shop, get groceries, cook dinner, maybe paint something, somewhere in there talk to Asra to see if he knows where her missing necklace is. 

It’s a rather uneventful day at the shop, and closing goes as normal. Less than ten minutes after closing, there’s a knock at the door.

“Sorry, we’re closed!” Elara says as she wipes down the counters.

“Well fine! I won’t return the necklace that Faust wandered off with then.”

“Oh! Asra! Sorry, didn’t realize it was you -you know, because of my lack of ability to see through doors.” She unbolting the door and lets him in.

“Here. Faust has taken up to stealing shiny things. Oh, and Julian wanted me to give this letter to you.” He hands her a necklace and a blue envelope with her name on the outside. Asra leaves as quickly as he came, and Elara opens the envelope to find a note and directions to somewhere. She deciphers Julian’s chicken scratch to read:

“My Dear,

If you follow these directions carefully, they should take you to the place where we first had a real conversation.”

She follows the directions exactly, although she has a feeling about where she’s meant to end up. Her suspicions are confirmed when the directions land her square in front of the Rowdy Raven. She steps in and is immediately waved over by the bartender.

“Hey! Julian told me to give this to you. I have no idea what it is, but here.”

Again, the envelope contains directions and a note.

“I haven’t always been the best at romance, this much is true.

But I know you know that, so I’m writing to you.

I tried to make a mistake,

You chased me down.

I know I caused you pain that night,

Head to the southeast of town.”

The docks where he tried to break it off before they started dating? She heads follows the directions - her guess ending up correct - and is intercepted by Nadia.

“Good to see you, Tribune. This is for you.” 

She disappears into the settling fog as soon as she’s handed Elara the envelope. It’s the same again. 

“You remember our adventures together, right?

I know they’ve had their ups and downs,

And only one event with death’s near miss,

Head to the place of our first kiss.”

At the bottom, there’s a small note that says  _ Look, I’m trying to make it rhyme. I know it sucks. _

She doesn’t need the directions for this one, and immediately heads to Portia’s cottage. The lights are on, and as Elara approaches, Portia comes to greet her.

“I assume you’re here for the letter?”

“Yep. I assume you’re in on whatever’s going on.”

“Of course. Don’t worry, this is the last letter. We didn’t want you to have to walk  _ too _ many places.”

The last letter is the most neatly written, she notices.

“Elara,

You are the light of my life. You are the reason I get up in the mornings, the reason I sleep well at night. I’ve never been in love with someone like you. I’ve never felt this way about someone before. Every moment, every day, every week, every month? They all mean something, because I have you. I’m sure you know where our last milestone is. I’ll be there, and I hope you will too.”

She does. She doesn’t need the directions. She makes her way to the shop, and stops at the door. She takes a breath and pushes it open. Inside, candles cover nearly every surface of the building. In the middle, Julian is on one knee and holding out a ring.

“Oh my god-“

“Let me talk first. Elara, I know you probably knew this was coming with all that I’ve made you do today. But I have one last thing to say. I said in my last letter that every day has meaning when I’m with you. I want that to last forever. Elara, will you marry me?”

“Yes!” She extends her hand to him, letting him slip the ring on her hand. He stands up and dips her into a passionate kiss, sliding his hand up the back of her shirt as she grabs his hair.

“Well, I think this calls for a celebration, don’t you?”

And she leads him up by the hand to the bedroom, candlelight dancing in her eyes. Tomorrow, they’d start wedding planning, but tonight was just for them.


	2. How Will We Ever Plan Our Wedding if This Is All We Do?

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> A visitor arrives.

_ Three months after the proposal. _

“Do you think we should go with white and purple flowers or yellow and purple? I was thinking yellow and purple, you?”

Elara leans across the table to where Julian is sitting, various sketches of centerpieces scattered around them. He stops inspecting a drawing of a vase and looks up at her.

“I was thinking purple and light blue?”

Elara retreats back to her chair.

“I didn’t offer blue as an option.”

Julian nods. 

“I know. But look at this sketch that Portia had the palace florist make. Can’t you just imagine that with some light blue in it?”

“Hmm. What about white roses instead.”

“No, those remind me of the count. I can’t even smell roses without thinking of him. I don’t want to be thinking about the roasted goat on our wedding day.”

“I'll have someone do up some rose sketches.”

Julian stands up and goes to refill his coffee mug.

“You’re not listening to me, are you?”

“What?”

He sets his mug down on the counter and walks over to her.

“This is my day too, don’t you think I should get a say?”

Elara stands up too, staring him down.

“You do get a say!”

“No I don’t,” Julian says, shaking his head. “You ask me what I want and then immediately disregard it. I don’t like roses.”

“But maybe you won’t mind them as much like this! I’m gonna go have the palace florist draft up some purple and yellow rose sketches.”

“Why don’t you want my help?”

Elara stops midway into putting her coat on.

“What do you mean?”

“I mean, you won’t even listen to me about the flowers! First it was the dishes, then it was my suit, now it’s this! You know, if we can’t agree on this, maybe we shouldn’t be having the wedding at all.”

Elara drops her coat on the floor and takes a step towards Julian.

"What did you say?”

“I’m saying that maybe we need to wait. Technically we haven’t even been dating that long! I’m just saying that-”

“Well don’t say! You’re so-”

“I’m so what? Annoying? Inconsiderate? Oh, pardon me for actually wanting to have a say about my own wedding!”

They’re both silent for a moment, before Elara takes another step towards Julian, and then another, until finally she’s only an inch away from him.

“You’re looking at me in a way that makes me want to rip the shirt off of you. So we’re gonna go upstairs, and you’re gonna take your pants off, and I’m gonna-”

“Say no more! I’m on it!”

And he walks off towards the stairs. Elara narrows her eyes and smirks before following him. They lose track of time and by the time they both come to it’s already dark outside. Elara slowly rubs soothing cream onto the scratches on Julian’s back.

“What if we did three colors of flowers?” she says, and he rolls over to look at her.

“You really do have a one-track mind, don’t you?”

She smiles and runs a hand down his face, making him shiver.

“You’re one to talk. But seriously, what about purple, blue and white? And I won’t ask for roses.”

He grins and puts an arm around her waist, pulling her closer.

“That’d be lovely. And I’m sorry for-”

“I know. I’m sorry too.”

She’s about to finish that sentence with  _ ‘I love you’ _ when there’s a knock at the door.

Elara unravels herself from the sheets and pulls her dress over her head.

“Who is it? It’s late?”

There’s another knock as she comes down the stairs.

“Coming!” she says, trying not to sound too irritated. She unlatches the door and pulls it open to reveal a woman, her hand raised as if to knock again.”

“Elara?”

“Neve?”

The woman lowers her hood, revealing blonde hair done up in a tight bun, tear-filled ice blue eyes, and translucent skin with red cheeks.

“It is you! Oh, it’s been such a long time since I’ve seen you! May I come in?”

“Of course,” says Elara, trying not to sound caught off-guard. She steps aside to let Neve in and shuts the door behind her. She takes off her coat to reveal an expensive-looking outfit complete with several elaborate pieces of jewelry. “What are you doing here? I thought you were all set up to become the queen’s lady-in-waiting?”

“Her majesty fell ill. A proper nurse was needed. Besides, I wanted to see you! And, well, maybe ask you if you could teach me the magic I’ve heard you’re so good at? Oh, who might you be?”

Unbeknownst to Elara, a very shirtless Julian has come down the stairs behind her.

“Oh my word. Neve, this is my fiancé Julian. Julian, this is my childhood best friend Neve. And please go put a shirt on.”

“I’ll get right on that,” he says, turning on his heels and going back up the stairs.

“Engaged? You’re lucky.” She closes her eyes and slowly starts removing her jewelry. “Do you have something I could change into? This dress is uncomfortable.”

She pulls a few pins out of her hair and sets them down in the pile of jewelry as her hair unwinds from its bun.

“Sure. Wait here, I’ll go get something.” 

She walks up the stairs and into the bedroom, where Julian is pulling on a pair of socks. She grabs a loose dress from the dresser and brings them back down.

“Here. Bathroom’s down the hall to your right. Use anything you need.”

Thirty minutes later, Neve comes back out with wet hair and fresh clothes.

“This is much better, thank you. Now, my request to have you as a teacher still stands.”

“I don’t know. I’m kinda busy at the moment. The wedding’s in six months, do you think you can wait until then? I can give you small lessons here and there, but-”

“I can wait. Oh, did I interrupt you? I’m so sorry, that was foolish of me-”

Elara puts a hand on Neve’s knee.

“You’re fine.” 

Neve breathes a sigh of relief.

“Now, I should probably find an inn to stay at for the night. You’ve been lovely, but I hate to overstay my welcome.”

“Absolutely not. You’ll stay with us. Provided you don’t mind sleeping on the sofa.”

Neve smiles. 

“I’ll just be happy to stay in a room that doesn’t have bugs.”

Elara stands up, beginning to walk to the stairs.

“Living spaces are upstairs.”

Eventually, all three people get settled for the night. Just before she goes to bed, Elara pokes her head out of the bedroom.

“You got what you need?”

Elara can see Neve’s silhouette nod.

“Wake me if you need anything.”

And then she slips back into the bedroom, into her bed, and into a deep sleep.”


	3. Don’t Back Out Now

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Several of the wedding customs referenced here are Jewish practices. As I am not Jewish, I have not gone into depth simply for fear of getting anything wrong. If any reader notices an inaccuracy, please comment so that I can fix it! And yes, the wedding is under a chuppah. I know that’s important I didn’t forget.
> 
> Cassius is the Praetor that replaced Vlastomil.

_ Six months later. _

Asra extends his hand to Elara.

“You ready?”

She nods and shifts the bouquet as she takes his arm.

“As I’ll ever be.”

And they walk down the aisle arm in arm, Elara’s eyes never leaving Julian, standing at the end of the aisle. Asra releases her at the end, and Julian lifts the veil off of her face.

“You look beautiful, El”

“You too.”

Elara isn’t even listening to Cassius open the ceremony. It isn’t until Neve nudges her in the arm to hand her the vows she has written that she comes to.

“I struggled for so long to find the right words to say. But two nights ago I realized that it doesn’t matter what I say now. I don’t have to come up with a fancy speech. I don’t have to worry about what happens now, because the wedding isn’t what’s important. The marriage is. And I thought that standing up here would feel different or strange, but it feels right. It feels like it’s what’s meant to be. And I want that feeling to last forever. I love you, Ilya. I always have and I always will. And I know that whatever comes our way, nothing will change that. There’s nobody else I want to spend my life with. And I know now that will always be true.”

She’s doing her best not to cry - her makeup took forever, she’s not messing it up now. Portia hands Julian his vows, but he doesn’t even look at them. He’s only looking at Elara.

“Elara, so many things have happened in the past two years. I want to fit them all in today but we just don’t have the time. But we’ve gone through so much together and come out the other side. I mean, how many couples can say at their wedding that they’ve both come back from the dead, huh? The first time I told you I loved you I told you that you helped me find happiness again. And I told you that I want to walk the same path as you to the very end. We’ve gotten almost two years older since then, but my promise hasn’t changed. I’ll be with you till the end, for better or for worse.”

They turn to Cassius, who is also visibly trying not to cry.

“Do you, Ilya Devorak, under the eyes of God, take this woman to be your lawfully wedded wife? Do you promise to support and love her unconditionally, in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer, as long as you both shall live?”

Julian nods. “I do.”

“And do you, Elara Givalde, under the fold of the Elements, take this man to be your lawfully wedded husband? Do you promise to support and love him unconditionally, in sickness and in health, for richer and poorer, as long as you both shall live?”

Elara nods back. “I do.”

Cassius nods, before taking the rings from Malak’s beak and Junior’s collar.

“ It is now time to exchange the rings. The circle formed by each ring is a symbol of your love and eternal commitment to each other. May these rings remind you always of these sacred promises you've made to each other today in the company of your family and friends.”

The rings are exchanged, the Ketubah is read, and many tears are wept.

“Ilya and Elara,  this is a special day in both of your lives, and one you will no doubt cherish forever. Before we proceed, take a moment to reflect on every major decision and important experience that you've had over the years. Although you surely had no way of knowing at the time, each of those life events have led to right now, to this very moment.

Although you have spoken the words to finalize your commitment, you will now officially seal your union with the smashing of the glass. It is tradition that once the glass is shattered, we shall all shout "Mazel Tov".”

As Cassius is speaking, Portia wraps a vase in a white cloth and places it in front of Julian and Elara. Elara grabs his hand and they both stomp, one foot on each end - Elara slightly more carefully, wearing heels and all.

“ This glass, now shattered, may never be reassembled. Similarly, the bond you have consecrated today is a permanent one. Your lives are now forever joined together through faith, love, and a sense of duty to one another.”

“Now, by the powers vested in me by the city of Vesuvia, I now pronounce you, Ilya and Elara, as husband and wife, lawfully wedded before God and the Elements. You may kiss each other.”

Julian dips Elara into a passionate kiss that lasts forever, neither wanting the moment to end.

“Friends, it is with great honor and no small amount of personal joy that I present to you the newly married couple!”

It isn’t until what feels like hours later that the reception starts. Elara and Julian sit on a bench, feeding each other cake and watching their friends have fun. Across the hall, Neve approaches Asra.

“Hey, Asra, can I talk to you?”

“Sure, Neve, what’s wrong?” He says, scooting over so she can sit down next to him.

“Look, as much fun as I’ve had and as much as I’ve learned in the last six months, I don’t… I don’t know if coming here was the right decision. I love it here, but I feel like I’m weighing everyone down.”

Asra puts his hand on her arm.

“It’s okay to doubt yourself-”

And then there’s a flash of light and a loud crack. When everyone’s eyes refocus, Asra is on the floor holding his arm as blood seeps through his shirt. Neve stands over him, her hand over her mouth. Without saying a word, she turns on her heels and bolts from the hall. Elara motions for Julian to help Asra before running after Neve.

“Neve! Wait!”

She catches a flash of Neve’s dress behind a wall and follows it after it. 

“Neve, please come back.”

But before she knows it she’s made it to the main street and Neve is nowhere in sight.

“Well, this could have gone better,” says Julian from behind her, making her jump. “Asra’s fine. We bandaged his arm before he could lose too much blood.”

Elara doesn’t say anything, instead wordlessly staring into the crowd.

“Where-”

“I don’t know. And I don’t think she wants me to. Let’s head back.”

Julian puts his arm around her waist, leaning his head against hers.

“You okay?”

“I will be.”

And they start the long walk back to the wedding hall arm in arm, hearts heavy with the loss of a friend.

“She’ll come back when she’s ready.”


End file.
